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CONTENTS GROW | NETWORK | PROFIT
President’s Letter Business Calendar
8 22
Editor’s Note
Network Central
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C E L E B R AT I N G 1 7 Y E A R S I N B U S I N E S S
GROW
36 Cover Story
BASEMENT TO BREWERY Nick Barth and Matt Studer enjoy beer. Whether it’s drinking, brewing or selling, these young entrepreneurs hold big dreams to bring Beaver Island Brewing Company from the basement to Greater Minnesota. PROFIT
42 Feature
WORKFORCE WORRIES Businesses need to implement best practices now as they face massive retirements and a shrinking employee pool.
46 Special Focus
THE WORKFORCE MYTH Despite what many of us have been told, most employment opportunities in Central Minnesota don’t require post-secondary education.
Special Section 48 EDUCATION & TRAINING
36 10 UPFRONT Valuable information designed to guide and educate
26 BUSINESS TOOLS
Marketplace intelligence and useful tips on how to continue to grow your business
50 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Mike Paquette, American Legal Publications
Only Online // www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com
© Copyright 2017 Business Central, LLC
• Evaluating Soft Skills
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President’s Letter
What’s Our Membership ROI?
O
ne of the biggest barriers to membership in any organization is low perceived value. More than a third of all chambers cite this as a top reason for member turnover. The tendency toward a shortterm business focus requires immediate ROI. Business owners want to know: “How will membership help me sell more?” As of this writing, our summer planning retreat is still a month away. During that daylong conference, our Chamber Board members and committee chairs will focus on member ROI. We will analyze the dollars we bring back to you and your business because you choose to be a member of this strong and focused Chamber. We will also make the case that potential members should be part of our successful, essential Chamber of Commerce to help their businesses grow and prosper. For all the initiatives and programming our Chamber undertakes, we’ll be examining activities, results and outcomes to determine revenue that we help you achieve. We hope to assemble a meaningful list of benefits available exclusively to our members.
CONSIDER THIS EXAMPLE: We provide Chamber Connection every Friday morning and more than 120 people attend. ACTIVITY: Chamber Connection weekly meetings
you to move more products, be more efficient, and reduce wear and tear on your vehicles Attaching an accurate dollar value to these outcomes is the tricky part. However, I think we can all agree there IS a dollar value.
RESULTS: Connections and relationships with 120+ business people
OUR VOLUNTEERS WILL DISCUSS:
OUTCOME: Sales to those connections, and referrals from those connections, that would not have happened had it not been for your Chamber membership and Chamber Connection
CONSIDER THIS EXAMPLE: Government Affairs is an area where ROI is not always readily apparent to many members. ACTIVITY: The Chamber’s policy initiative to gain transportation funding for our area from the state legislature RESULTS: Transportation funding achieved after much work and advocacy by the Government Affairs Division of the Chamber OUTCOME: Easier transportation of your people, goods and services over Minnesota roads, enabling
What does the Chamber do that would otherwise require a business to devote money, time or employees to undertake the activity directly? What are we doing to help generate revenue for our members? What do we do that helps our members avoid costs? What do we do that positions our members for success? Now think about all the activities and work our Chamber undertakes for our members. Can you imagine the long list that will have dollar values attached to them? It will verify that your Chamber membership provides the best value for your dollar of anything you are involved with.
Teresa Bohnen Publisher
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Main Phone: 320-251-2940 Automated Reservation Line: 320-656-3826 Program Hotline: 320-656-3825 information@StCloudAreaChamber.com www.StCloudAreaChamber.com ST. CLOUD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STAFF President: Teresa Bohnen, ext. 104 Vice President: Gail Ivers, ext. 109 Director of Administration: Judy Zetterlund, ext. 106 Communications & Workforce Development Coordinator: Whitney Ditlevson, ext.130 Special Events Coordinator: Sheri Wegner, ext. 131 Membership Sales Specialist: Rhonda Dahlgren, ext. 134 Administrative Assistant: Kellie Libert, ext. 124 Administrative Assistant: Vicki Lenneman, ext. 122 Administrative Assistant: Shelly Imdieke, ext. 100 CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU STAFF Main Phone: 320-251-4170 Executive Director: Julie Lunning, ext. 111 Director of Convention Sales: Lori Cates, ext. 113 Director of Sports & Special Events: Dana Randt, ext. 110 Sales Manager: Nikki Fisher, ext. 112 Social Media & Marketing Specialist: Emily Bertram, ext. 129 Sales & Marketing Coordinator: Rachel Thompson, ext. 128 2016-17 BOARD MEMBERS Jason Bernick, Bernick’s, Past Board Chair Dan Bittman, Sauk Rapids-Rice School District David Borgert, CentraCare Health Neil Franz, Franz Hultgren Evenson, Professional Association Christy Gilleland, Gilleland Chevrolet Cadillac Jim Gruenke, Traut Companies Jason Hallonquist, AIS Planning Dennis Host, Coborn’s, Inc. Willie Jett, St. Cloud School District Diane Mendel, Playhouse Child Care Bernie Omann, St. Cloud State University Mark Osendorf, Xcel Energy Roger Schleper, Premier Real Estate Services, Board Chair Melinda Vonderahe, Chamber Board Vice Chair Allison Waggoner, DCI, Inc. Chriss Wohlleber, Courtyard by Marriott-St.Cloud
isn’t just a “Ittransaction, it’s a relationship. ” Mike Phillips Vice President Senior Lending Officer Sartell, MN
Scott Bement Owner, St. Cloud Subaru St. Cloud, MN
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Editor’s Note
Home Brewing
O
ne of the great things about travel is the opportunity to try new foods. Sometimes, as in the case of Laotian curry, it leaves me wanting more. And sometimes, as in the case of Vietnamese seaweed soup, it leaves me wanting mouthwash. While I was in Tanzania, our guide, Eki, took us on a walk through his local neighborhood. We stopped at a homebased business where the owners lived upstairs and had turned their main level into a banana beer brewery. Their yard was strewn with picnic tables and their garage had been divided In Memoriam... with a make-shift wall with picnic It has been a hard year tables on each side. Eki explained for the Business Central that in the evenings the men sit in staff as we have said one section and the women sit in goodbye to several of the other. As the evening – and the the people who have generously told their beer consumption – progresses, stories in these pages. the patrons leave their sides of the Dale Victor, owner of garage and dance to raucous music Care Transportation, died late into the evening. in April at his retirement home in Nevada. We To make the beer, bananas are featured Dale on our boiled in metal cauldrons over a September 2005 cover. wood fire until it makes a mash. After He bought and sold many crushing millet and boiling it to make businesses during his a sweet, sugar mash, it is combined career and was another person who cared deeply with the banana mash and water, about helping others. Our put in a plastic bin about the size sympathy to his family, of a large home garbage can, and friends, and business allowed to cook for one day. Then associates. they sell it. They have to sell all they
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Left to right: Editor Gail Ivers dipped her jug into the five gallon pail for a taste of fresh banana beer; Guide Eki explains how to brew banana beer: The first tank is beer ‘brewing’ in preparation for sale tomorrow; the second tank is cooling boiled banana mash; Banana beer in a five gallon pail waiting to be sold.
make each day, Eki said, “because day-old banana beer causes heartburn.” Of course I tried it, as did many of the others. None of us were particularly impressed, except Eki, who told us banana beer was his particular favorite. As we walked back to our hotel, a group of boys ran up to Eki talking excitedly. They were holding a dilapidated, flat soccer ball and repeatedly gestured to it. He told us that they were complaining to him that their ball didn’t work anymore. He called them “my soccer team,” not because he was their coach, but because he lived in their neighborhood. He promised to bring them a new ball the next day. The next day on the bus, there was Eki with a brand new soccer ball. Our bus took a short detour to the playground where Eki jumped out and tossed the ball to the waiting boys. They greeted it with whoops of joy and were already breaking it in as we drove away. I was reminded of all of this as I talked with Nick Barth and Matt Studer, Beaver Island Brewing Company (see the story on page 36). Not so much because of the beer, but because Nick and Matt are committed to using their business to help others. Generosity of spirit is a tasty brew. Until next issue,
Publisher Teresa Bohnen Managing Editor Gail Ivers Associate Editor Dawn Zimmerman CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Teresa Bohnen, St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Whitney Ditlevson, St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Julie Fisk, Attorney Luke Greiner, Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development Bill Hatling, Flint Group Dr. Fred E. Hill, St. Cloud State University Gail Ivers, St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Kellie Libert, St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce
Mary MacDonell Belisle, mary macdonell belisle – wording for you Greg Vandal, Vox Liberi Dawn Zimmerman, The Write Advantage ADVERTISING Associate Publisher/Sales Wendy Hendricks, Hendricks Marketing Ad Traffic & Circulation Yola Hartmann, Hazel Tree Media ART Design & Production Yola Hartmann, Hazel Tree Media Cover Photo Joel Butkowski, BDI Photography ACCOUNTING Judy Zetterlund WEBSITE Vicki Lenneman
1411 West St. Germain Street, Suite 101, P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487 Phone (320) 251-2940 Fax (320) 251-0081 www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com For advertising information contact Wendy Hendricks, (320)656-3808 Editorial suggestions can be made in writing to: Editor, Business Central, P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487. Submission of materials does not guarantee publication. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Your Voice in Government • People to Know
UPFRONT GROW | NETWORK | PROFIT
• Do it Now!
Business Calendar • Getting Going • Top Hat Photos • Regional Roundup uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
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NEWS & PEOPLE THAT MAKE UP THE CHAMBER NETWORK
BOOK REVIEW
Why Work?
Reviewed by Dr. Fred Hill
NEWS REEL
Creating an environment where employees can find meaning and value in their work sets the stage for organizational success.
The Why of Work; How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win by Dave Ulrich and Wendy Ulrich, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-07-173935-1
B
efore you ask “Why aren’t my employees working harder?” … ask yourself, “Why are my employees working?” Thus, from simply reading the dust jacket we are put on the path of finding potential value in The Why of Work; How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win. The Why of Work includes targeted checklists, questionnaires, and other useful tools to help you turn aspirations into action. Using the proven principles of abundance, you can coordinate your needs with
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those of your employees, your employers, and your customers – and create a vision that resonates for years to come. The authors believe that “When you understand why we work, you know how to succeed.” According to cited studies, we all work for the same thing – and it’s not just money. It’s meaning. Through our work, we seek a sense of purpose, contribution, connection, value, and hope. Digging down to the meaning of work taps our resilience in hard times and our passion in good times. Using the model of the “abundant organization,” The Why of Work provides you with the “how” to create meaning and value in your own workplace. There are eight Fields and Disciplines that contribute to the concept of abundance: 1 Positive Psychology 2 Social Responsibility/ Organization 3 Purpose/Individual Motivation 4 High-Performing Teams 5 Positive Work Environment/ Organization Culture
Business Central Magazine // J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 7
6 Employee Engagement 7 Growth, Learning, Resilience 8 Civility and Happiness. There are seven questions that drive abundance: 1. What am I known for?(Identity) 2.Where am I going?(Purpose and motivation) 3.Whom do I travel with?(Relationships and teamwork that actually work) 4.How do I build a positive work environment? (Effective work culture or setting) 5 What challenges interest me?(Personalized contributions) 6.How do I respond to disposability and change?(Growth, learning and resilience) 7.What delights me?(Civility and happiness) This book has sufficient detail and worth to give it a try. In so doing, you can learn how to ask the seven questions that drive abundance, understand the needs of your customers and staff, personalize the work to motivative your employees, and build and grow your business in any economy. Dr. Fred E. Hill is an emeritus professor from St. Cloud State University.
IIW ARCHITECTS NAMES SHAREHOLDERS IIW Architects, parent company to St. Cloud-based IIW Minnesota, named local architects (l-r) David Leapaldt, Christian Hendrie and Whitney Lougheed as shareholders. Leapaldt leads IIW Minnesota with over three decades of industry experience. Hendrie holds a Master’s in Architecture with a certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee’s School of Architecture and Planning. Lougheed holds both a Masters of Architecture and a Bachelor’s Degree in environmental design from North Dakota University.
INTELECONNECT RELOCATES InteleCONNECT Inc. celebrated 10 years in business with a new office. The expanded and newly remodeled office space, which formerly served as a warehouse, is located at 24 7th St. N in Sauk Rapids.
JOHNSON RETIRES FROM PARAMOUNT CENTER FOR THE ARTS Laurie Johnson retired from The Paramount Center for the Arts after 13 years as director of performing arts. During her tenure, she booked acts and performances that served nearly 90,000 patrons every year.
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UpFront YOUR VOICE IN GOVERNMENT
NEWS REEL MARCO HIRES, PROMOTES Chris Prudenz joined Marco as chief financial officer (CFO). Formerly executive vice president and CFO of ABRA Auto Body & Glass, Prudenz has several years of financial experience and a background in investment banking and public accounting. Marco also named Jennifer Mrozek to executive vice president of business development and operations. Mrozek joined Marco in 1998 as accounting supervisor and served as CFO since 2007.
Grassroots
Business leaders help elected officials keep it local.
T
he St. Cloud Area Chamber’s annual trip to Washington, D.C., saw 24 business representatives packing into offices with Minnesota’s congressional delegation. Participants met with elected officials and their staff to share the impact that policies developed in Washington, D.C., can have on local companies.
BOULKA JOINS PARAMOUNT CENTER FOR THE ARTS Gretchen Boulka joined Paramount Center for the Arts as director of performing arts. Boulka formerly served as marketing and communications director for the National Lutheran Choir. She brings several years of experience in contracting, budgeting and marketing and holds a Master’s degree in Arts Administration from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota.
St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis (L); Congressman Jason Lewis; Ryan Daniel, Metro Bus.
U.S. Senator Al Franken
Members of the St. Cloud Area Chamber met with Congressman Collin Peterson in April. Seated: Melinda Vonderahe (L); Mark Osendorf, Xcel Energy; Bernie Perryman, Batteries Plus Bulbs. Standing from left: Dave Borgert, CentraCare Health; Hudda Ibrahim, St. Cloud Technical & Community College; Teresa Bohnen, Chamber president; Carl Kuhl, Connolly-Kuhl Group; Pam Raden, The Johnson Group Marketing; Jane DeAustin, CMBA; Congressman Collin Peterson; Roger Schleper, Premier Real Estate Services; John Wolak, Time Communications; Jason Bernick, Bernick’s; Sandy Svihel, Alpha Salon Lux Suites.
EDGEWOOD HEALTHCARE SYSTEM EXPANDS TO SARTELL Edgewood Management Group, Edgewood REIT, purchased Sartell-based The Legends at Heritage Place and entered into a long-term agreement to lease the community to Edgewood Healthcare System headquartered in Grand Forks, ND. In addition to a few cosmetic updates, Edgewood will also change the name of The Legends at Heritage Place to Edgewood Senior Living in Sartell. Edgewood currently operates 55 independent living, assisted living and memory care communities throughout seven states.
Congressman Tom Emmer; Jason Hallonquist, AIS Planning; Pam Raden, The Johnson Group Marketing
J.D. Foster (R), vice president, economic policy, and chief economist at the U.S. Chamber, meets with the St. Cloud area delegation.
Mayor Dave Kleis; Bernie Perryman, Batteries Plus Bulbs; Ryan Daniel, Metro Bus; Senate staff; U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar
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POINT OF VIEW
Business Central asks readers: "What is one tradeshow success tip you can share with other businesses or organizations in the area?”
“
Be open and be inviting. Instead of setting up a standard table and standing behind it, set up your table in the back of your booth so you can interact with attendees as they pass by your booth.” Ben Mueller • Your Home Improvement Company
“
Have something interactive and offer incentives at your booth.”
Monica Voth • Mantra Salon & Spa
“
Be friendly – lots of smiles and active conversations.”
Kristen Boldt • Rejuv Medical
“
You should have a tool kit of random stuff – tape, scissors, markers – last minute things that might come in handy for things you didn’t think of initially.”
“
Be organized – know which bins and banners need to go with you. Keep notes so you remember how you set up your booth last time.”
Joseph Nessler, MD • St. Cloud Orthopedics
Jodie Pundsack • Gaslight Creative
EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE. INNOVATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING. At Rice Companies, we believe in building lasting relationships, providing exceptional customer service, and initiating innovative problem solving. We would be honored to discuss your next building project.
320.252.0404 | RICECOMPANIES.COM 1019 Industrial Drive S | Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 3301 11th St E | Glencoe, MN 55336
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UpFront
NEWS REEL STARK-KRAKER NAMED DIRECTOR OF DONOR RELATIONS The Central Minnesota Community Foundation (CMCF) named long-time employee Greta Stark-Kraker as director of donor relations. She assists donors with their philanthropic goals. StarkKraker joined the foundation in 2001 as an administrative assistant and recently served as executive operations manager.
SCHRADER RECEIVES AWARD Blair Schrader, scrum master and technical writer, ProcessPro, received a Bronze Stevie Award in the category of Technical Professional of the Year in the 15th Annual American Business Awards. Schrader was recognized for her work in leading ProcessPro’s development teams through a corporate acquisition.
CENTRACARE HEALTH FOUNDATION RECEIVES ESTATE GIFT CentraCare Health Foundation received a $500,986 estate gift from the late Dan Coborn. The gift will be used to continue the mission of the Coborn Cancer Center and the legacy left by Dan Coborn. Coborn, former president and CEO of Coborn’s Inc., passed away in March.
CENTRACARE HEALTH RECEIVES AWARD In its inaugural year, Minnesota Job Honor Awards, in partnership with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, named CentraCare Health as a top Job Honor Award honoree. CentraCare was recognized for its recruitment, hiring and retention programs that reduce racial and ethnic disparities. Stearns-Benton Employment & Training Council (SBETC) nominated CentraCare for this award.
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BCCalendar GROW | NETWORK | PROFIT
u
JULY/AUGUST 2017
CAN’ T M IS S O PPO RT U NIT IES TO INF LU E NC E , PRO M OT E , A ND L E AR N . Visit StCloudAreaChamber.com for the most current and detailed calendar. SPOTLIGHT
MONDAY, AUGUST 14
CHAMBER OPEN The 71st annual Chamber Open is August 14. This year’s event features activities at two courses, followed by dinner at the St. Cloud Country Club at 5:30 p.m. St. Cloud Country Club, 301 Montrose Rd., St. Cloud; shotgun start at 11:30 a.m.; 18 holes Boulder Ridge Golf Club, 2750 County Rd. 74, St. Cloud; shotgun start at 1 p.m.; 9 holes
JULY 11 & AUGUST 8
JULY 14 & AUGUST 8
NEXT – Chamber’s Emerging Leaders
Government Affairs
Offers professional development, leadership and networking opportunities for emerging leaders in Central Minnesota. Meets the second Tuesday of every month, noon1 p.m. Cost is $195 for an annual membership. Register to Whitney, wbina@ StCloudAreaChamber.com. July 11: Tour of St. Cloud, presented by Metro Bus August 8: Visitor’s Day at Urban Lodge Brewery and Restaurant, 415 N Benton Dr., Sauk Rapids
A discussion of local government issues on the second Friday of the month, 7:30 - 9 a.m. at the Chamber office*. July 14: No meeting due to the legislative break August 11
JULY 19 & AUGUST 16
Waite Park Chamber For businesses interested in Waite Park community issues. Lunch is provided by the host when you register at least two days in advance. 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
July 19: Hosted by The Summit Real Estate Team at Edina Realty, at Waite Park City Hall, 19 13th Ave. N, Waite Park. The meeting includes a “Workforce Overview” presented by Luke Greiner, DEED. August 16: Hosted by Rejuv Medical Center onsite at 901 3rd St. N, Waite Park. The meeting includes a networking activity.
JULY 21
See the City Brew & Chew The all new See the City Bus Tour returns July 21 from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. with “Brew & Chew.” Tour area breweries and eateries
to see what our region has to offer. Cost is $49. Visit Seethe City-Chamber.com for more information or to register.
JULY 27, AUGUST 9 & 25
August 24: Hosted by Cherrywood Advanced Living and Boser Construction, 3315 Cooper Ave. S, St. Cloud
JULY 27 & AUGUST 24
Business After Hours
Sauk Rapids Chamber
A complimentary open house for Chamber members and guests. Bring lots of business cards and prepare to grow your network! 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
For businesses interested in Sauk Rapids community issues. Lunch is provided by the host when you register at least two days in advance. Meetings are held from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
July 27: Hosted by Falcon National Bank, 1010 W St. Germain St., St. Cloud August 9: Hosted by St. Cloud Aviation and Wright Aero, Inc. at St. Cloud Regional Airport, 1544 45th Ave. SE, St. Cloud
July 27: Hosted by the Benton County Agricultural Society at the Benton County Fairgrounds, 1410 3rd Ave. S, Sauk Rapids, with a presentation called “Through my Eyes” by
Tammy Wilson, St. Cloud Area School District 742. August 24: Hosted by the Sauk Rapids Chamber at the Sauk Rapids Government Center, 250 Summit Ave. N, Sauk Rapids. The meeting includes a three-minute Business Showcase. For information on these or other business events, call 320-251-2940. *The Chamber office is located at 1411 W St. Germain Street, Ste 101, St. Cloud.
IN THE NEWS
Joyce and Todd Brenny, Owners
Brenny receives ethics award Brenny Transportation, St. Joseph, received the Minnesota Business Ethics Award (MBEA) for the Small Company Category (under 100 employees).
Unchanging care for life’s urgent changes. It’s that moment when your child wakes up Saturday morning with a 102-degree fever. You didn’t see it coming, but here it is. That’s why St. Cloud Medical Group extends the trusted care of our providers throughout the weekend and on week nights at both of our Express Care locations. So for even the fastest of medical changes, you can rely on us to be right here, ready to help you feel better. Times might change, but it’s our genuine care that stays the same.
South Campus Express Care
Northwest Campus Express Care
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Family Medicine + OB/GYN + Pediatrics + Express Care + Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation + Occupational Medicine + Surgery
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UpFront DO IT NOW!
WANDMACHER PROMOTED Park Industries promoted Tom Wandmacher to director of metals processing. Formerly in the sales department, Wandmacher has 30 years of experience in the metal industry. He now leads the sales and business development strategy for the company’s new plasma product line in partnership with Al Holst, product manager.
RINKE NOONAN RECOGNIZED Central Minnesota Legal Services recognized Rinke Noonan as the 7th District Volunteer Attorney Firm of the Year.
GSDC NAMES OFFICERS The following individuals have been appointed as officers of the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation: Board Chair - Brian Myres, Myres Consulting and DAYTA Marketing; Board Vice Chair - Rick Bauerly, Granite Equity Partners; Board Treasurer Greg Klugherz, CentraCare Health; Board Secretary - Ron Brandenburg, Quinlivan & Hughes, PA; Past Board Chair - Bob White, Wolters Kluwer (retired).
Newsreel compiled by Whitney Bina
MARCO PURCHASES SOUTH DAKOTA COMPANY
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Marco acquired the copier/ printer sales and service previously provided by Dakota Business Center, a Rapid City, South Dakota based company. The 15 employees that previously supported Dakota’s copier/printer solutions have joined the Marco team. This is the 16th acquisition the company has completed over the past three years.
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Communication Styles A little thought will help you successfully communicate with your millennial employees.
L
3 Choose the
7 Demonstrate fairness
meaningful. Millennials have mastered the art of saying something meaningful in 140 characters or less. The more concise you are, the better they relate to or appreciate what you say.
best medium for communication. Reach millennials by meeting them where they spend their time – mobile devices. Instead of conference calls create an online team collaboration portal or use Skype in your workplace. 4 Understand the 24/7 communication cycle. Millennials are used to nontraditional work schedules and are prepared to work after they leave the office. 5 Communicate the path to career growth. Communicate performance assessments frequently and make sure younger workers understand their own career path within your company or organization.
in the workplace. Millennials support equality of all kinds. They frown upon prejudicial or biased comments or actions toward anyone or any group of people. 8 Commit to a social bottom line. Charitable giving and corporate volunteerism are important to millennials. 9 Nurture their passions. More than any other generation, millennials want to feel as though their lives and what they do mean something. Help them understand the purpose of your organization and how their roles impact the overall company.
2 Provide detailed steps.
6 Don’t condescend or
Even though brevity is appreciated, millennials prefer detailed instructions before jumping into a project.
make jokes about their age. Respect them and they will respect you. They want and expect to be taken seriously at work.
azy. Entitled. Narcissistic. These words are often used in reference to millennials. Even though millennials face a bad reputation, most provide passion, eagerness, ambition and new talent to their workplaces. Roshini Rajkumar, communication analyst, coach, and author of Communicate That, Your Toolbox for Personal Presence, identifies nine tips to help leaders of all generations successfully communicate with millennials: 1 Keep it brief, but
For more information, visit inc.com.
SPOTLIGHT
BLATTNER LEADS RENEWABLE ENERGY CONSTRUCTION Blattner Energy, a power generation contractor and provider of renewable energy construction in North America, installed 5,000 megawatts (MWs) of renewable energy in 2016. That adds up to nearly 4 percent of all wind and solar installed in the world last year. In 2016, Blattner installed over 1,400 MWs of solar energy, putting the organization at the top of the EPC contractors in the United States, as the leader in 2016, as noted by IHS Markit. In addition, Blattner has installed more than one-third of all installed wind power capacity in North America to date.
Source: “9 Powerful Tips for Communicating Better with Millennials” by Peter Economy, Inc.com
NEWS REEL
TOP HATS: NEW MEMBERS
Sheets Galore, a mobile retailer of silky soft, luxurious finish sheets in 12 popular colors in all sizes and an affordable price, 2419 Serenity Drive, St. Cloud. Pictured: Amanda Groethe, Kris and Dale Hellickson, Liz Kellner.
Atlas Research, helps organizations improve performance, services, and care for people across the country, 981 65th Ave. NE, Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Sheri Moran, Jonathan Guyer, Liz Kellner.
J. Hilburn Men’s Clothier, a custom menswear company that comes directly to you with samples, fabrics, fitting, and delivers clothes that are made to your measurements, 17391 Fisher Road, Cold Spring. Pictured: Roger Schleper, Brad Winters, Kris Hellickson.
iStyxX Network, LLC, provides a proprietary, wireless, location-based, direct-response and targeted advertising and marketing platform that serves both businesses and consumers, 3826 Riviera Road, Sartell. Pictured: Rich Gallus, Joseph Salaski, Sheri Moran.
TOP HATS: MILESTONES Celebrating 20 years Valley Green Companies, a 20 year Chamber member, offers lawn care fertilization, weed control, aeration, insect control, disease management, tree and shrub fertilization, spraying, and injection, PO Box 263, Sartell. Pictured: Liz Kellner, Bill Klein, Heidi Rademacher, Michael Hornung, Tammy Buttweiler.
Celebrating 20 years Northern Star Therapy, physical and occupational therapy clinic, celebrating 20 years as a Chamber member, 251 County Road 120 suite A, St. Cloud. Pictured: Diane Diego Ohmann, Dan Weaver, Mike Hiscok, Rory Cruser.
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UpFront GETTING GOING
TOP HATS: NEW LOCATIONS, OWNERSHIP & EXPANSIONS
The Fit Factor
A successful executive search is about more than skills and qualifications. By Greg Vandal
M New location: United Way of Central Minnesota, offering ways to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of Central Minnesota, 921 1st Street N, St. Cloud. Pictured: Erik Hanson, Jon Ruis, Jessica Houle, Jason Bernick.
Remodel: GrandStay Residential Suites Hotels, working with corporate and transient clients on day, week, or month stays, 213 6th Ave. S, St. Cloud. Pictured: Roger Schleper, Amanda Korhonen, Chelsea Stahl, Peg Imholte.
TOP HATS: NEW BUSINESS
All Star Nutrition, one stop shop for sports nutrition, weight loss, vitamins, and free diet planning, 132 2nd Street S, Waite Park. Pictured: Brian Jarl, Sal Armenia, Daniel Marver, Lexis Eich, Inese Mehr.
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y work in recent years has morphed from a primary focus on strategic planning to include executive search services. A look back on my client list from the last several months would show that many of those were organizations – from the nonprofit and education markets – in search of new leaders. The work I did on their behalf had only a slight resemblance to the traditional “head hunter” in the private sector. Sometimes it seems like I am more a matchmaker than anything else. Central to making a good match is having a clear understanding of what both parties might want out of a relationship. Surely, any leadership position comes with a fixed set of required skills and well defined qualifications. There might be licenses or certifications involved. There could be a minimum level of education or experience expected. Beyond those essential elements, though, organizations generally seek candidate characteristics specific to their operations. My role with a client organization in an executive
search is to help discern what that group wants, both for the short- and long-term. Focus group discussions, interviews with key institutional leaders, and even survey work with stakeholders help build a profile of an ideal leader, and these interactions identify the unique issues that a new leader will be expected to address. This profile is used to drive recruitment. It also helps prospective candidates better understand whether or not they might be a good fit. This fit factor is important because a good match involves more than just identifying what one of the partners is looking for in a relationship. It also requires that the candidate being “courted” holds expectations that align with those of the company seeking that leader. If an otherwise well-qualified individual does not believe that the company culture is a good fit, or is uncomfortable with the spoken (or unspoken) expectations of that assignment, the applicant is likely to look for another place to call home.
Surely, life’s circumstances come into play and desperation can override the more deliberate approach. A public school, for example, is required to have a licensed superintendent at the helm. Although a late resignation might force a search from a more limited pool of candidates, a new leader must still be secured. That is why some districts choose a short-term solution – an interim – as they take the time to find a more perfect match. That being said, a nonprofit in dire financial straits might hire an executive director with significant proficiency in resource management who is somewhat lacking in other essential skills to get them through the difficult times knowing full well that the relationship is not intended to last well into the future. Good leadership agreements – commitments made between an organization and an individual – are best secured through a careful match of mutual interests, shared expectations, and a common vision of a desired future.
contributor Greg Vandal is the sole proprietor of Vox Liberi, a consulting business that delivers planning and project management services to clients in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. He can be reached at greg.vandal@voxliberi.com.
PEOPLE TO KNOW
Kelly Troska
Clint Lentner
Stacy Kouril
Kendra Berger
Profile by Sanford (320) 497-7020 Kelly.troska@profileplan.net ––––––––––– Chair, Star Celebration The Star Celebration is the Chamber’s annual volunteer recognition celebration. Committee members are responsible for planning the event and soliciting sponsorships.
Netgain • (320) 251-4700 clintl@netgainhosting.com Chair, Business, Education, and Technology Committee (BETC) ––––––––––– The BETC organizes the Chamber’s annual workshop and expo providing education and training on topics ranging from legal issues to organizational management. Volunteers recruit speakers and sponsors.
Gabriel Media (320) 251-1780 stacy@spirit929.com Chair, Waite Park Chamber ––––––––––– The Waite Park Chamber, a division of the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, is a place where business, education and government come together for the betterment of the community. Programs include the Waite Park State of the City address.
Falcon National Bank (320) 968-6187 kberger@falconnational.com Chair, Sauk Rapids Chamber ––––––––––– The Sauk Rapids Chamber, a division of the St. Cloud Area Chamber, promotes a healthy business environment in Sauk Rapids. Volunteers work in cooperation with member businesses, local government, the public school system and other community organizations.
Jill Hoffmann Schlenner Wenner & Co. (320) 251-0286
jhoffmann@swcocpas.com Chair, NEXT- Chamber’s Emerging Leaders
NEXT- Chamber’s Emerging Leaders provides networking and educational opportunities designed for the NEXT generation of business leaders.
To learn more about volunteering at the Chamber call 320.251.2940.
Who would you choose? When your chronic hand pain becomes too much to handle, would you rather see a generalist who treats only a few hands a year, or an orthopedic hand specialist, who focuses on them every day? At St. Cloud Orthopedics, our surgeons specialize in one specific area to bring you the best care possible. And since we have specialists for all bones and joints, we’ve got someone to care for you no matter what hurts, all under the same roof. The choice is yours. Faster treatments, better outcomes. Right here at home.
#LiveBetter
StCloudOrthopedics.com 320.259.4100 1901 Connecticut Ave S, Sartell
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UpFront REGIONAL ROUNDUP
Prospering
The City of Sauk Rapids has managed to keep its tax rate low, while making significant investments in the community’s future.
The city has made a tremendous investment in its future, while maintaining the second lowest tax rate in the area. Schultz shared the city’s 2016 accomplishments and goals for 2017. Following are some of the highlights.
Sauk Rapids Lions Park proposed development
M
ayor Kurt Hunstiger kicked off the second annual Sauk Rapids State of the City Address by pointing out that over the last 10 years the city has made a tremendous investment in its future, while maintaining the second lowest tax rate in the area. That investment included the following projects: W Water treatment plant W Public works facility W Water tower at the high school W Government Center
BY THE NUMBERS
W Fire Hall W New Mississippi River bridge W Reconstruction of Benton Drive, 2nd Street, and Golden Spike Road “The City has gone from total debt of $26.5 million in 2007 to $15.4 million in 2016,” according to Ross Olson, city administrator. “We are likely to pay off about $10 million of the remaining debt in the next four years.” Mayor Hunstiger, Olson, and Community Development Director Todd
Roads Completed many street improvement projects, with some construction left for 2017, including: ––––––––––– 2nd Street N (County Road 3), which required extensive negotiations with Benton County ––––––––––– 8th Street North improvements ––––––––––– Worked with Xcel Energy to complete the overhead to underground power line conversion on 2nd Street N ––––––––––– Completed a successful application for $1.4 million of federal highway funds for
Liquor Operations
The City of Sauk Rapids operates a municipal liquor store, which provides funding for city operations.
$15,400
Increase in sales from 2016 over 2015; that’s a 0.5% increase
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$2.7 million Total sales in 2016
$638,000
Profit from liquor sales before expenses
40%
Increase in wine sales since 2011
$383,000
Revenue from wine sales in 2016
the reconstruction of Benton Drive in 2020 Public Safety Purchased and trained a new Police K9 unit, using donations from community members ––––––––––– Hired and trained two police officers, bringing staffing strength to 2015 levels; purchased two police vehicles, seven car camera systems, and 10 tasers
ONGOING
Public safety projects planned for 2017: Finish construction of the new public works facility and determining the best use of the old facility –––––––––– Add three more police officers –––––––––– Place additional body armor into every squad car to prepare for a response to an active shooter event, and placing three ballistic shields into squad cars for high risk searches –––––––––– Train all police officers in Crisis Intervention focused on persons in mental health crisis –––––––––– Prepare to implement a Police Reserve Program in 2018
www.scr-mn.com
Development In 2016 there were 41 single family homes built –––––––––– Good Shepherd built two twin homes –––––––––– The city purchased the old locker plant and potato warehouse building and home at 81 5th Street N (behind the DQ) and demolished all three properties –––––––––– Currently under construction: 38 unit, 55 unit, and 57 unit buildings Manea’s Meat, Sauk Rapids
Formerly St. Cloud Refrigeration
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UpFront
NetworkCentral GROW | NETWORK | PROFIT
u
E V E N T S A R O U N D T H E S T. C LO U D A R E A
GROW
Celebrating Business
Photos by Ginny Olmscheid, Camera Shop Portrait Studio
The 2017 St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Business Awards Luncheon
Seated: Jodi Speicher, (L) The Good Shepherd Community; Dee Rengel, Rengel Printing; Todd Fritz, InteleCONNECT; Luke Cesnik, Dijital Majik; Standing: Graduate interns visiting from Italy Sara D’Angelo, (L) Federica Ramazzotti, Margherita Rampioni, Cristina Formiconi
Doug Bischoff, (L) Design Electric, 2017 Entrepreneurial Success Award recipient, presented by Bill Knoblach, Gilleland Chevrolet Cadillac
Matt Studer (L) and Nick Barth, Beaver Island Brewing Co, 2017 Emerging Entrepreneurs
Chase Larson, (L) American Heritage National Bank; Mark Traut, Traut Co., 1998 Small Business of the Year; Diane Schlecht, Crafts Direct; Art Buhs, Habitat for Humanity; John Schlecht, Crafts Direct, 2011 Entrepreneurial Success Award
Shelly Bauerly-Koppell, (L) Granite Equity Partners; Jerry Bauerly, retired, The Bauerly Companies, 2001 Entrepreneurial Success Award; Hub Levandowski, retired, Wells Fargo Bank; Alice Coudron, Catholic Charities Foundation
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Doug Adamek, retired, Workplace Behavioral Solutions, 2007 Small Business of the Year
Videographer Jim McAlister, Tell-A-Vision Productions, ready for action
Diane Mendel, Playhouse Child Care, 2003 Small Business of the Year
Bob Strack, Strack Companies, 2013 Entrepreneurial Success Award
Seated, Athena recipients Barb Carlson, (L) retired, Central Minnesota Community Foundation; Pat Welter, retired, St. Cloud School District; Molly Renslow, College of St. Benedict; Standing: Dan Rundnigen (L) and Tom Grones, retired, GeoComm, 2006 Small Business of the Year.
Roger Bechtold, retired, American Door Works, 1994 Small Business of the Year
Larry Logeman, Executive Express, 2015 Small Business of the Year
Kevin Johnson, K. Johnson Construction (L), 2017 Small Business Owner of the Year and Roger Schleper, Premier Real Estate Services, Chair of the Chamber Board
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Your vision, brought to life. Visit our showroom at: 8646 Ridgewood Rd., St. Joseph, MN 56374 | For more information or for a FREE Borgert catalog call 320.363.4671 | borgertproducts.com
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CLOSE UP: YMCA
Inside Your New YMCA Businesses see opportunities to foster happier, healthier employees
T
he St. Cloud Area Y Community & Aquatics Center that opened in May set a new benchmark in the Upper Midwest for what a recreation and fitness facility can be. It already has captured the attention of organizations across the nation, interested in taking tours and discovering how to bring a similar asset to their communities. “We built this new Y with the vision of it being the front porch of our community,” said Greg Gack, executive director of the St. Cloud Area Y. “We’re seeing that unfold already just in the first few weeks of opening.”
What makes this facility stand out nationally is a combination of its size, features and community partnerships. The St. Cloud Area Y built the new 110,000-square-foot facility off of Northway Drive in St. Cloud through a collaborative partnership with the City of St. Cloud. The St. Cloud Area cities, businesses and community members also contributed to the $24-million aquatics and community center. “This new Y is a place where teams, families and individuals can connect, be active and have fun,” said Jennifer Mrozek, president of the Y Board of Directors
JOIN THE Y
2001 Stockinger Drive St Cloud, MN 56303 320-253-2664 scymca.org
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The Y offers a variety of memberships in addition to day passes. Learn more at SCYMCA.org/Join-the-Y or by calling (320) 253-2664.
and executive vice president of business development and operations at Marco. “It’s easily a place where you can spend time with your team or your family.” The opening of the Y has led to an increase in membership for individuals, families and corporations. Through corporate membership, an employer pays a portion of a membership for an employee and the Y contributes a portion to provide a low-cost fitness and recreation membership for employees and their families. “This is an opportunity for corporations to provide an added employee benefit and see a sizable return in healthier and happier employees,” Gack said. Here’s a look at five of the features capturing attention of corporate members: 1.ROCK CLIMBING WALL Teams of employees collaborate, build relationships and test their strength on a
SPONSORED PROFILE
PARTNERSHIP SPONSORS
W GOHMAN CONTSTRUCTION Co Rd 75 St Joseph, MN 56374 320-363-7781 wgohman.com HMA Architects | Designing tomorrow’s newest landmark p
“This new Y is a place where teams, families and individuals can connect, be active and have fun. It’s easily a place where you can spend time with your team or your family.” – Jennifer Mrozek 3.AQUATICS CENTER An 8-lane lap pool provides swimmers a variety of opportunities to exercise or recreate, including the potential for scuba diving, kayaking and paddle board yoga. A family-friendly zero entry pool with play features, large water slide and current channel provides employees and their families a place to be active and have fun.
two-story rock climbing wall. With seven climbing routes, the wall engages climbers of all ages and abilities. 2.FITNESS STUDIOS Corporate members have access to three fitness studios and two youth activity studios, including one specially designed for cycling and another for hot yoga and related classes. They join a regularly scheduled class or reserve a studio for a team event.
KEY FEATURES • Rock climbing wall • 2 racquetball courts • Heated zero entry pool with play features and large slide • Sauna, steam room and whirlpool
SPONSORED PROFILE
4.INDOOR TRACK Employees start and end their days on an expansive track that outlines nearly half of the Y’s second floor. Many windows along the path create an open feel with interior and exterior views. 5.CARDIO CENTER All skill levels keep their workouts fresh and fun with more than 70 pieces of new cardio equipment, ranging from spin bikes, treadmills and cross trainers to rowing machines and step mills. •
• Heated 8-lane lap pool • 3 gymnasiums • Kid Zone • 3 adult & 2 youth fitness studios • Family locker rooms • Locker and towel service
ALLIANCE BUILDING CORP. St. Cloud YMCA and Aquatics 3709 Quail Road NE Sartell Rapids, CommunityMN Center Sauk 56379 St. Joseph Government Cent 320-253-3524 alliancebuildingcorporation.com
HMA ARCHITECTS 501 W Saint Germain St St. Cloud, MN 56301 320-251-9155 hmarch.com
KJOHNSON CONSTRUCTION 6870 Highway 10 NW Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 320-255-9649 www.kjohnsonconst.com
GRANITE LEDGE ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS, INC. 15436 130th Street Foreston MN 56330 320-294-5557 graniteledgeelectric.com
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InSIDE THIS ISSUE: Management Toolkit • Entreprenuerism
BUSINESS TOOLS GROW | NETWORK | PROFIT
u
Tech Strategies • Economy Central by Falcon Bank uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
RESOURCES THAT HELP YOUR BUSINESS GROW
TECH STRATEGIES
Facebook Targeting
Are you using this advertising opportunity to your advantage?
A
women’s boutique. A business technology company. A law firm. They all have different audiences they want to reach – for different reasons. But they all can find success using the same tool that’s already in the hands of their customers. It’s Facebook. Facebook continues to up its advertising game to give organizations more ways to reach highly targeted audiences. Facebook will build an audience for you, or work with one you already have created. Success starts with identifying a campaign goal. Whether it's awareness (reach), consideration (traffic to your website, lead generation) or conversion (store visits, sales), Facebook provides
organizations with a wealth of targeting options. They include everything from age, gender and geographic location to marital status (including recently engaged), occupation and interests. Here’s a look at a few targeting options to know: 1.Friends of people engaging with you. This goes beyond the ability to target friends of people who like your page. You also can reach out to friends of people who responded to your event or used your app. This provides a subtle way to use the people already engaging with your brand to influence their friends. It unleashes word-of-mouth at a whole new level.
By Dawn Zimmerman
2.People with certain interests. This is where the potential explodes. It gives organizations the ability to reach people based on the pages they follow, the posts they tend to like, and their specific interests in everything from fashion and home improvement to technology and entrepreneurship. If you can think of it, you likely can target it with Facebook’s robust profiling platform now used by nearly 2 billion users. 3.A custom audience. This is one of the more impactful ways to leverage Facebook to move a prospect from awareness to consideration or even conversion. Through Facebook’s custom audience feature, organizations can engage groups of people who they already know through information they provide to Facebook – typically a list of emails – or from information generated through Facebook. This audience could be built based on people who visited the organization’s website using a Facebook pixel or those who have taken a specific action in the company’s mobile app.
contributor Dawn Zimmerman is CEO of The Write Advantage, a St. Cloud-based strategic communications company that specializes in social media. Contact her at dawn@writeadv.com. 26
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Organizations also may retarget people who have engaged in their Facebook content, such as video views. 4.People who live, work or are near your business – right now. Facebook provides a variety of location targeting options. With geotracking technology, Facebook enables organizations interested in increasing on-site traffic to connect with a target audience when they are within a certain radius of their location. That means when there is a community event like the Governor’s Fishing Opener, Fourth of July parade or Black Friday happening near you, you can reach them with a message – or coupon – to stop in to get a bite to eat, snag a bargain or check out a new product. You can save any of these audiences to allow you to access them with a click for another ad campaign – even from a mobile device. So where do you start? The audience you choose – and how broad or specific it is – depends on the goal you’re trying to achieve. A branding campaign for a large company will reach a broader audience than a retailer looking to increase store visits. Start with why you want to reach a particular group of people and Facebook will give you the tools to achieve specific outcomes.
TECH NEWS
Securing Passwords
I
f you worry about sending information via Wi-Fi, you can relax. Researchers have devised a way to send secure passwords through the human body—using benign, low-frequency transmissions
generated by fingerprint sensors and touchpads on consumer devices. These "on-body" transmissions offer a more secure way to transmit authenticating information between devices that touch parts of your body — such as a smart door lock or wearable medical devices — and a phone or
Illsutration: Vikram Iyer, University of Washington
device that confirms your identity by asking you to type in a password. Source: Futurity
CAR TALK
Independence Former race car driver, Sam Schmidt, is the first American to receive a driver’s license to use an autonomous vehicle on public highways. The state of Nevada announced that Schmidt, a quadriplegic as a result of a training accident, is able to drive a modified Corvette Stingray Z06 that is controlled just with the motion of his head, breath and voice commands. Source: Engadget .
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Working with buyers, sellers, realtors, lenders and builders throughout Central and Greater Minnesota WORKING WORKING WITH WITH BUYERS, BUYERS, SELLERS, SELLERS, REALTORS, REALTORS, LENDERS LENDERS ANDAND BUILDERS BUILDERS THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT CENTRAL CENTRAL ANDAND GREATER GREATER MINNESOTA MINNESOTA • Professional • Professional Residential Residential & Commercial & Commercial Closing Closing Services Services • Construction • Construction Disbursing Disbursing Experts Experts • Abstracting • Abstracting • Title• Insurance Title Insurance • Tax• Deferred Tax Deferred 1031 1031 Exchanges Exchanges
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Professional Residential & Commercial Closing Services / Title Insurance Construction Disbursing Experts / Abstracting / Tax Deferred 1031 Exchanges Mary Mary Schneider Schneider Melanie Melanie WalzWalz Mary Mary WeisWeis
122 122 12th12th Ave.Ave. N. I N. Sr. I Cloud, Sr. Cloud, MNMN 56303 56303 I (320) I (320) 253-2096 253-2096 208208 RedRed River River Ave.Ave. S. I Cold S. I Cold Spring, Spring, MNMN 56320 56320 I (320) I (320) 685-4280 685-4280
1-800-892-2399 1-800-892-2399 I www.tricountyabstract.com I www.tricountyabstract.com
122 12th Ave. N / St. Cloud, MN 56303 / 320-253-2096 208 Red River Ave. S. / Cold Spring, MN 56320 / 320-685-4280
1-800-892-2399 / tricountyabstract.com J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 //
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BusinessTools MANAGEMENT TOOLKIT
Retaining Talent If you haven’t reviewed your benefit package lately, you may be surprised to learn what employees really want.
W
ithout question, filling job openings and retaining talent are among the top challenges facing Central Minnesota employers. Small business owners and HR professionals typically rely on informal polling of what types of benefits similar organizations are offering and what benefits are most likely to retain talent. The Society of Human Resource Management’s 2016 Benefit Survey is a useful tool to
contributor
shed statistical light on benefit trends over the last 20 years. Wellness Programs In the face of sky-rocketing health care costs, organizations have increasingly turned to higher deductible health plans coupled with a variety of carrots (and sticks) to incentivize employees to make healthier decisions, thereby reducing the need for medical care. In 2016, 72 percent of organizations
By Julie Fisk
offered some form of wellness resources and information. While weight loss competitions, smoking cessation programs, and premium discounts for maintaining certain ranges in cholesterol and body mass index are relatively common in organizations, creative examples include the farmer’s market stand Microbiologics hosts weekly in its parking lot during the summer and MPG’s (formerly Grede Foundry) free Employee Health Clinic. Because organizations generally turn to wellness programs as a cost-savings measure and to encourage healthier life choices in their workforce, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued new guidance in May of 2016 outlining prohibited practices and types of incentives that unfairly discriminate. Now is the time to seek legal advice about whether or not your wellness programs comply with the revised federal regulations. Flexible Work Benefits Perhaps unsurprisingly, there has been a 40 percent increase in organizations offering some form of telecommuting to employees over the past two decades. While telecommuting and flextime can be a significant
Julie Fisk is an attorney who has practiced employment law and now currently teaches human resource professionals as an adjunct professor for Concordia-St. Paul.
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perk for both employees and employers, with the newly revised regulations on overtime, organizations must carefully review whether non-exempt employees are working “off the clock” by checking emails from their phones in the evening or are doing extra work from home by logging in remotely. Any work performed by non-exempt employees must be compensated, including unauthorized overtime. Clear policies and clear communication about expectations can make this a win-win for both the organization and the employee. Professional and Career Development There has been a 23 percent increase in organizations offering a variety of professional and career development opportunities since 1996. For example, 88 percent of organizations pay professional membership dues for employees and 86 percent provide various professional development opportunities to their workforce. Final Notes Providing benefits in areas where other organizations have substantially cut back may provide a strategic advantage. It is interesting to note that financial benefits have decreased substantially, such as employee stock purchase programs, matching employee charitable donations, and
78
PROUD OF
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FOCUSED ONTHE FUTURE PACE INDUSTRIES | MAPLE LAKE, MN
employee discounts on company services. Additionally housing and relocation benefits (relocation assistance, spouse relocation employment assistance, mortgage assistance, and down payment assistance) have declined sharply.
For a link to SHRM’s full 2016 survey and the 2016 SHRM Employee Benefits Executive Summary, visit Business CentralMagazine.com
RIVER’S EDGE CONVENTION CENTER | ST. CLOUD, MN
COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT CAR TALK
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Space Savers
St. Cloud, MN | 320.251.5933 | StrackCompanies.com
There are a billion parking spots across
At W. Gohman, we bring our team’s experience,
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four for every car in
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existence. Plus, there are all those paved roads crisscrossing our cities. Add it up and many downtowns devote 50 to 60 percent of their
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to constantly adjust to our clients’ needs through
OUR COMMUNITY personal involvement and teamwork.
scarce real estate to vehicles. Some believe car ownership will peak within a decade, revolutionizing not just our streets but our landscape. Watch for it as new networks of shared, electric, possibly autonomous vehicles become cheaper. Instead of buying a car, you can simply buy a
St. Joseph, MN | 320.363.7781 | wgohman.com
ride whenever you need one. Source: Vox
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mall-business leaders (or all business leaders, for that matter) know the importance of a clear marketing plan to focus their messages, time and money. Here are three proven tips to help strategically develop a marketing budget that doesn’t break the bank.
Marketing Cents How do small businesses develop marketing budgets— without breaking the bank? By Bill Hatling
contributor Bill Hatling is the managing partner of Flint Group - St. Cloud. He is one of only a handful of brand consultants in the United States to earn the title Certified Brand Strategist. Contact him at bill.hatling@flint-group.com
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Find your “one thing” What truly defines your company? It could be something (or someone!) in operations or customer service, or how people use your product. Hint: It is NOT, “We’re good folks who make quality products and services.” What defines you is a core principal, important for companies of all sizes, yet especially critical for small businesses looking to truly target their messaging. Examples: Etsy = homemade;
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Virgin Airlines = fun air travel; Zappos = customer service (not shoes); Chipotle = quality Mexican food (not low price). Once established, build your marketing plan around communicating that “one thing” to relevant audiences with clear tactics. Stumped on your one thing? Ask your employees and customers. Consider enlisting an agency or other outside expert since most companies’ defining factors aren’t special to company employees, yet the factors will resonate with customers and prospects. Beat the clutter Ensure your messages will reach the right audience—and yet get creative regarding which
channels you use. For instance, if most jewelry stores run engagement ring messaging on sports talk radio, a local jewelry store may consider turning to email or targeted social media. Or a dentist or orthodontist who has always used billboards may consider targeted signage such as arenas, airports, shopping areas and orthopedic clinics instead. Small businesses should also go back to basics. Sometimes the best opportunities lie in neglected channels that have been forgotten. For instance, we all get less print mail today, which may be an opportunity for your business to get noticed. Consider oversized postcards, clever foldable direct mail pieces, usable posters,
informational cards or printed diagrams mailed to customers and prospects. For actual messages that are more likely to break through, ensure that you focus on solutions and being helpful—for instance, a hotel that keys in on “absolutely the best showerheads.” Consider frequency reward programs and incentives, like the florist who adds a “free” vase with Mother’s Day flower orders. Get social Speaking of reaching the right audiences, social media is a must for small businesses. Be sure to select the right channels. For example, if your customers and prospects are on YouTube but not LinkedIn,
align your presence. Spend a little time each day, on behalf of your business, interacting with customers, business partners and prospects sharing relevant posts, commenting and publishing content of your own. Keep in mind that images and video perform best on social media. You can post GIFs on Facebook pages now! Also consider promoted posts. For as little as $5, you can target people with pinpoint accuracy on Facebook and Twitter. Crystal-clear messages that clear the clutter will help strategically position your small business. One final tip: Keep an eye on what tactics are working and shift your resources to continue getting the most from your marketing budget.
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Economy Central presented by
ECONOMY CENTRAL
Idea GENERATORS
By Whitney Ditlevson
Passion, need, and structure help drive innovation in traditional and non-traditional businesses.
I
deas and innovation was the theme for the 2017 St. Cloud State University Winter Institute. A presentation featuring three local businesses kicked off with an original song by Harbor Drive Hookup.
START ME UP Passion and Kickstarter at Harbor Drive Hookup on and Amie Theis, Harbor Drive Hookup, are two young people with a strong passion for spreading joy through “good ol’ Americana music.” They got their start playing gigs for residents of The Good Shepherd Community in Sauk Rapids. “Music meant something to us – it was in our hearts,” Jon said. Originally filmmakers running their own company, the Theis’ decided to pursue singing full-time. In order to make their music career happen, however, they had to get creative. “We were learning to be financially independent and we wanted to be debt free,” Jon said. “So, we signed on to a Kickstarter campaign to help fund our dream.” Kickstarter assists artists, musicians,
J
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Business Central Magazine // J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 7
filmmakers, and designers by providing resources and support for creative projects through the help of Kickstarter community backers, or campaign funders. “You have to take risks if you’re going to be innovative,” Jon said. “You have to be willing to step outside your box.” Through their campaign, the Theis’ found sponsors by using unique strategies. One strategy was to sing at assisted living facilities in their donors’ names. Although at times terrifying and difficult, with passion, determination, and a network of people, Jon and Amie have found success. Soon they will begin their first national tour to promote their new album “Engaged by the Harbor.” “Your dreams are possible and you can make anything happen,” Amie said.
FARM TO TABLE Keeping it local at Playhouse stablished in 1991 with only one location and two infants, Playhouse Child Care Center, Inc., now has five locations throughout the St. Cloud area. Innovation is second nature to Playhouse, where some
E
program ideas have failed and others have found success. The Farm to Table operation is one major success made possible by a simple desire to stay local. Farm to Table brings food from local farms to the kitchen tables at the Playhouse Child Care Centers. In fact, 90 percent of food served at Playhouse comes directly from Minnesota growers, according to Catherine BrattensborgBrown, health and safety administrator and food service. Playhouse serves as the pilot program for Farm to Table in Minnesota and plans to help other childcare centers throughout the state implement the concept. Employees continue to look for new, innovative ways to make the program sustainable yearround, not just during peak growing seasons. “We have created an entire curriculum around ‘Farm to Childcare’ which is a partnership with the Department of Agriculture,” Brattensborg-Brown said. “It’s a lot of work, but the benefits and rewards are worth it.”
IDEAS FIRST Innovation at Park Industries lthough customer service is not a new idea, Park Industries has put a whole new spin on the concept. The stoneworking equipment manufacturer often develops new ideas based solely on the needs expressed by its customers. Park works backwards, determining the
A
solution first before creating a new product. “Our main goal is to be customer and service driven,” according to Paul Schermerhorn, manufacturing and engineering manager, Park Industries. “We want to know how to help our customers better.” Engineers at Park use two product development tools to enable consistent product innovation. One is a project management tool. The second tool involves systems engineering, which establishes all product requirements. “This process ensures that we fully understand all of the capabilities of the new system and can generate a realistic and accurate project plan before ever investing in the development of the system,” Schermerhorn continued. “In the end, this process saves about 1,000 hours of effort on typical new product development.” Whitney Ditlevson is the communications and workforce development coordinator at the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce.
16,579*
$80M
$100M
1,151
986
December
$60M
February
St. Cloud
November
Residential 2015 2016 2017* 2015 August #/$ #/$ #/$
March
October
September
August
July
June
TOTAL:$16,716,579*
October April
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
$40M
Home Sales C
2016
September BUILDING PERMITS BY COMMUNITY
TOTAL:$64,832,866
TOTAL:$84,908,072
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. C ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSE
149
July $21,854,833 $32,774,443 $6,914,171 2017 January 0
500
Sauk Rapids 321 345 90 June $15,843,450 $22,647,287.40 $5,417,373
$80M
$100M
$600k
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
BUILDING PERMITS BY COMMUNITY September
TOTAL: $34,309,592*
1000
$900k
Food and Be ST. CLOUD
Sauk Rapids 567 555 7 December $16,890,519 $15,684,403.00 $499,700 June
TOTAL: $150,360,393
5 66 September $871,000 $0 Mar
St. Joseph
151 August Feb $8,057,329
5 $275,200
TOTAL: 441
St. Augusta
TOTAL: 1752
140 October $18,735,131 Apr
2015
71 15 $32,698,175.09 $2,212,502
2017
July Total as of 6/12/17 Jan *St. Cloud totals are not final for 2017 at time of print June
2000
$200M
ST. CLOUD 106 21 $3,9550,295.02 $2,513,790
Waite Park
TOTAL: 1655
TOTAL: $79,916,621
$150M
Food and Bev
Sartell 35 33 8 November $11,485,611 $13,013,812.00 $1,113,110 May 2016
TOTAL: $34,309,592*
$100M
500
St. Cloud 444 464 88 2017 $94,320,804 $138,751,046 $27,736,878 July
1500
TOTAL: $374,749
$1.5M
TOTAL: $1,333,423
TOTAL: $1,326,730
$1.2M
$50M
0
Commercial 2015 2016 2017* August #/$ #/$ #/$
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
$0M
November October
Commercial Building Permits
2015
2015
December Total as of 6/12/17 January *St. Cloud totals are not final for 2017 at time of print.
Commercial Building Permits
2016
102 20 $9,180,779.85 $2,477,928
St. Joseph 142 186 21 February $2,293,565 $4,796,650.51 $173,792
$60M
2017
79 $4,720,246
Home Sales Closed in St.Cloud
March
78 12 $2,197,512.66 $195,467
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
$40M
St. Augusta
2016
2017
$20M
April $1,552,641
500
$300k
$0M
Waite Park
0
Food and Beverage Tax Collection
ST. CLOUD
2015
113
2016
2017
2016
2015
$0
TOTAL:$64,832,866
2015
Sartell 329 252 61 May $18,168,133 $13,311,388.85 $1,537,548
2016
2017
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
$20M
2017
July December June
November May
Residential Building Permits
$0M
908,072
COLOR KEY:
Compiled by Kellie Libert, data current as of 6/12/17
2015 2017
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. C ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSE
Economy Central presented by August
TOTAL:$84,908,072 2016
Home Sales C
September
TOTAL:$16,716,579*
ECONOMIC INDICATORS & TRENDS 2017
October
$100M
$250M
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
832,866
09,592*
360,393
916,621
Residential Building Permits
$250M
$0
$300k
TOTAL: $150,360,393 Sources: Building departments for the following cities: St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Sartell, Waite Park, St. Augusta, and St. Joseph.
2016
May
2016
Unemployment Rates 2016-2017
2015
Apr
TOTAL: $79,916,621
Non FarmMarJobs
Source: www.positivelyminnesota.com
November
December
October
Jan
September
August
July
June
1.5%
May
$250M
Feb
April
$200M
March
December
$150M
November
October
$100M
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
$50M
2.0%
February
2.5%
January
6%
$0M
Source: www.positivelyminnesota.com 2015
2016 - 2017 % CHANGE
$300k
F
M
A
$0
1.0%
5%
0.5% 0.0% -0.5%
4%
-1.0% -1.5% -2.0%
3% M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
J
F
M
A
-2.5% M
J
J
A
S
O
N
St. Cloud Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota United States
D
J
St. Cloud, MN MetroSA Minnesota United States
J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 //
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33
6,579*
BusinessTools
08,072
32,866
$100M
9,592*
0,393
6,621
$250M
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COLOR KEY: December
ECONOMIC INDICATORS & TRENDS
November
Home Sales Closed in St.Cloud
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
December
October
December
November
October
August
September
August
July
June
May
TOTAL: 441
April
September
ST. CLOUD
October
March
February
Food and Beverage Tax Collection
January
December
November
October
D, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK,
September
August
July
June
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
lding Permits
May
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, November ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
September
2017
TOTAL: $374,749
July
TOTAL: $34,309,592*
August July
TOTAL: 1752
June
2017
May
2016
TOTAL: $1,333,423
June
TOTAL: $150,360,393
April May
CHECKLIST TOTAL: 48
BUSINESS VS. HOBBY December
TOTAL: $1,333,423 250
Residential 2015 2016 2017 TOTAL: $1,326,730
Benton County Sheriff’s Civil Process; Stearn’s County Sheriff’s Office $0 $300k $600k $900k $1.2M Total as of 6/12/17.
December
For more information, visit BusinessCentral Magazine.com
$2M
Total as of 6/12/17.
Business Central Magazine // J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 7
November
n You can expect to make a future profit from the appreciation of the assets used in the activity.
Sources: Tax Collections – City of St. Cloud
34
October
September
$1.5M
August
$1M
July
$500k
n You change your methods of operation in an attempt to improve profitability.
n You or your advisors have the knowledge needed to carry on the activity as a successful business.
n The activity makes a profit in some years and how much profit it makes. June
2015
May
TOTAL: $1,454,374
April
2016
March
TOTAL: $1,508,301
February
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
TOTAL: $373,254
n Your losses are due to circumstances beyond your control (or are normal in the startup phase of your type of business). January
ST. CLOUD
$0
$1.5M
$1.5M
n You were successful in making a profit in similar activities in the past.
n You depend on income from the activity for your livelihood.
Lodging Tax Dollars 2017
April
n The time and effort March you put into the activity February indicate you intend to make it profitable. January 2000
$1.5M
Stearns Co. 181 158 36 2015 Benton Co. 54 39 12
June n You carry on the activity inMay a businesslike manner.
TOTAL: 441
2016 SHERIFF’S FORECLOSURE AUCTIONS
200
TOTAL: 1752
150
TOTAL: 1655
100
1500
50
TOTAL: $374,749
TOTAL: $1,333,423
TOTAL: $1,326,730
$1.2M
0
$1.2M
November Many people participate in hobbies and some even make money Octoberat it. But when it comes to determining whether you need to claim income or pay taxes on September your hobby, the IRS has definite opinions. August These nine questions will help you determine whether or not youJulyare engaging in a hobby or a business:
1000
$900k
TOTAL: $374,749
TOTAL: 221
2017 2015
$900k
500
$600k
ST. CLOUD
$600k
Total as of 6/12/17.
Food and Beverage Tax Collection TOTAL: 235
2016
$300k
Sources: Tax Collections – City of St. Cloud
Sheriff’s Foreclosure Auctions
2017
January
$0
Housing/Real Estate St. Cloud Area AssociationJan of Realtors, $150M $200Msources:$250M http://stcloudrealtors.com/pages/statistics. Total as of 6/12/17.
STEARNS AND BENTON COUNTIES
2015
Home Sales Closed in St.Cloud
2000
Feb
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
1500
TOTAL: $1,326,730
0
$300k
Food and Beverage Tax Collection
1000
2017
February
ST. CLOUD
500
2016
2015
2017
March
TOTAL: $79,916,621
0
2016
Apr Mar
$0
$100M
2016
2015
2015
TOTAL: 1655
Economy Central presented by
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BASEMENT to Brewery Nick Barth and Matt Studer enjoy beer. Whether it’s drinking, brewing or selling, these young entrepreneurs hold big dreams to bring Beaver Island Brewing Company from the basement to greater Minnesota.
36
A
Business Central Magazine // J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 7
fairly simple New Year’s resolution quickly turned an idea into something much bigger. On New Year’s Eve 2012, Nick Barth decided he wanted to take a stab at home brewing. With one goal in mind, sell beer to someone – anyone – within the year, he reached out to Matt Studer who had been home brewing for the better part of a decade.
Barth and Studer met at the Veranda Lounge where Nick tended bar and Matt and his wife frequented to listen to live music. “We started home brewing in a basement, which then turned into home brewing every Tuesday night,” Barth said. “One night, after indulging in the fruits of our labors, we decided
St. Cloud needed a brewery and we wanted to be the ones who brought it to the community.” A JOURNEY BEGINS Little did they know, a much larger journey had begun. Barth and Studer officially started home brewing together in spring 2013. Around St. Patrick’s Day, they decided they should brew and
Business Profile Beaver Island Brewing Company 216 6th Ave. S, St. Cloud, MN 56301 320.253.5907 info@beaverisland brew.com beaverislandbrew.com CEO: Nick Barth President: Matt Studer Other Significant Officers: Chris Laumb, brewmaster; Kern Anderson, sales manager Ownership: Nick and Matt, co-founders; with investor partners, including Laumb and Anderson Business Description: Beaver Island Brewing Company is a production brewery and tap room located in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Total number of employees: 23 Previous Year sales: $1 million Current year projected sales: $1.5 million
Fun fact:
Nick Barth
Matt Studer
“The beer we served at the 2015 St. Cloud Craft Beer Tour was off of our 10 gallon pilot system. And we took home the People’s Choice Award.”
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37
“
Although some people thought we were crazy, others jumped on board right away, Some people were our cheerleaders throughout the whole process and they are still investors today.” —Matt Studer
Beaver Island's new brewery started canning beer in May 2017.
TIMELINE DECEMBER 31, 2012 Nick Barth sets a goal to sell beer to someone – anyone – in the new year.
SPRING 2013 Barth and friend, Matt Studer, begin home brewing in their basement.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY 2013 Barth and Studer start talking about opening a brewery.
THANKSGIVING 2013 Barth and Studer begin meeting with investors.
JULY 2014 Barth and Studer lease space in the former Bo Diddley’s location off of Division Street in St. Cloud.
FEBRUARY 2015 Beaver Island Brewing Company opens.
JANUARY 2016 Beaver Island Brewing Co. signs a distribution agreement with Bernick’s.
SEPTEMBER 2016 Beaver Island begins construction of a 10,000square-foot production facility in the Airport Business Park.
MAY 2017 Canning begins at Beaver Island’s new facility.
38
Business Central Magazine // J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 1 7
sell beer on a larger scale. By Thanksgiving, they had new business paperwork in order and were already meeting with investors. “Although some people thought we were crazy, others jumped on board right away,” Studer said. “Some people were our cheerleaders throughout the whole process and they are still investors today.” With funds secured, Studer and Barth toured commercial real estate listings throughout the city to find the right spot for St. Cloud’s new Beaver Island Brewing Company. “The first thing we did when choosing our taproom location was sit down and identify what we wanted the brewery to be,” Barth said. “Well, we weren’t necessarily sitting down, we planned our vision as we walked around different spaces (“or while on the roof,” Studer interjected) and said to ourselves, ‘This could be a brewery.’” In July 2014, they leased retail space off of Division Street in St. Cloud and in February 2015, Beaver Island Brewing Company opened. “It took two years from concept to creation and maybe six months from hammer to malt,” Barth said. EARLY DAYS, LATE NIGHTS Although Beaver Island Brewing Company was moving
full throttle, Barth and Studer still needed to make ends meet. “During construction of our facility, we each had other jobs. We would get up early, work all day, meet back at Beaver Island at four in the afternoon and work into the middle of the night – sometimes two or three in the morning – then do it all over again,” Barth said. Once the facility opened, Studer continued his work as a commercial real estate agent, often using the Beaver Island taproom as his office. Barth faced other challenges. Due to laws surrounding liquor licenses, he was forced to quit his position at D.B. Searle’s in January 2015. “I was jobless and income-less and my wife was a stay at home mom, so we were incomeless as a family,” Barth said. Neither one of them took a salary the first year Beaver Island Brewing Company was open. “We lived off ramen noodles and beer,” Studer joked. Barth and Studer quickly realized help was necessary to achieve success. “Matt and I knew we liked home brewing, but we were not professional brewers,” Barth said. They added two additional partners to their team fairly early on. Chris Laumb joined the company as brewmaster and Kern Anderson jumped in as sales manager. Today, Barth,
Studer, Laumb and Anderson remain the “core four.” “We were all zombies walking around here that first year,” Studer said. “Chris and I were brewing all day while Nick and Kern were outside shaking kegs and bringing back empties. They would show up back at the taproom at four o’clock. We’d spin the locks on the doors, take the brewing boots off, put our tennis shoes on and get in the taproom to start slinging beers. We would work until 11 and do it all over again the next day.” LOCAL PASSION “The City of St. Cloud has been tremendous to work with,” Barth said “We have excellent support from the city’s leadership teams and from organizations like the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, St. Cloud Downtown Council and the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation.” Beaver Island Brewing Company strives to shop local and support greater St. Cloud. For example, when the time came to purchase the brewery’s first tanks, St. Cloud-based manufacturer DCI, Inc. was Barth and Studer’s first choice. “DCI is a large tank provider for Summit and Sierra Nevada brewing companies, so with a small little brewing company like ours, we didn’t think
there was a chance to get DCI tanks,” Studer said. “But our brewmaster knew Chuck Leonard [vice president of sales and marketing at DCI] through a homebrew club and he was able to get us a lunch with Chuck.” A partnership was created, designs were completed and eventually, Beaver Island’s new custom tanks were ready for pick-up. “Instead of having them shipped to us, I picked them up one tank at a time with my trailer,” Studer recalled. “I was leaving DCI with that first tank and I just white-knuckled it 10 miles an hour with my hazards on.” WHAT’S NEXT? With a dedication to staying local and dreams of expanding to greater Minnesota, Beaver Island Brewing Company recently opened a new production facility in the
St. Cloud Airport Park. “It’s 4.5 acres that we purchased right from the city,” Studer said. “We needed the specific infrastructure they offered.” “We have the ability to create some incredible efficiencies. Our new system is grand-scale so we are going to have the ability to hopefully decrease labor costs, decrease waste, decrease loss, and increase efficiency,” Barth said. “I think we’re really investing in our future by investing in this facility.” The 10,000-square-foot production facility allows for up to 40,000 feet in expansion, and Barth and Studer plan to use it. Anticipated growth for Beaver Island Brewing Company is 100 percent in 2017. In fact, Barth predicts 100 percent growth every year from now through 2019. Currently, all of Beaver Island’s brews are consumed either in the taproom or at bars and restaurants. The new production facility allows the company to expand into liquor stores. “Cans change the game,” Barth said. “We had an opportunity with the
PERSONAL PROFILE
Nicholas Gregory Barth Age: 33 Title/role: Co-Founder and CEO Hometown: St. Cloud Education: Apollo High School; Some college: University of Alaska, Anchorage; Industry: International Sommeliers Guild & Court of Masters (Certified Sommelier)
Work history: Hospitality Industry Veranda Lounge: 2005 – 2015 Cru Wine Specialists: 2009 – 2012 D.B. Searle’s: 2012-2015 Beaver Island Brewing Company: 2015 to Present Family Wife: Meredith – writer, mother, supportive wife Four Sons: Jackson (8), Maxwell (6), Oliver (3), and Miles (4 mo)
Sales manager Kern
Anderson
way we were growing and we were able to capitalize on that. The new facility is going to be instrumental in our success moving forward.” In six months, Beaver Island will have northern Minnesota covered with cans and draft, Barth said. In one year, the company plans to launch in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, which will
almost double production. “In five years, we hope to have the whole state covered. We’ll be tip to tail, side to side,” Barth said. “We’ll have every square inch of Minnesota covered with Beaver Island beer and we will be humming along at about ten times more than our current capacity this year.” “Our ultimate goal is to be Minnesota’s brewery. We
Mother: Patricia - retired from the VA Medical Center Father: Mark - owns and operates the Veranda Lounge Brother: Andy - owns and operates D.B. Searle’s Hobbies: Spending time with family, fishing, canoeing, rock hunting, lapidary Advice to a would-be entrepreneur: Plan your work and work your plan, but be ready to adapt and invite change.
Best advice you’ve received and who gave it to you: Everybody likes change, no one likes to be forced to change. – Andy Barth
Favorite Beaver Island Brewing Co. brew: That’s like picking your favorite child! I love all of our beers, but there is something just a little more special to me about our Oktoberfest. Plus I love the fall!
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TENDING FOR A CAUSE
WHAT'S IN A NAME “Everything from '39' being the last year there was a
LEARNING TO MANAGE ALL THE REQUESTS FOR DONATIONS IS PART OF RUNNING THE BUSINESS AT BEAVER ISLAND BREWING.
production brewery in St. Cloud, and the year our taproom building was built, is a fun story,” Barth said. “Letting people know there’s some Grateful Dead references in the name 'Ripple' or that 'Sweet Miss' was a contest that we tried to
B
eaver Island Brewing Company receives many requests for donations. In order to manage the requests and provide a focused way to give back to the community regularly, the company created “Tending for a Cause.” Every Wednesday from 5-7 p.m., a local, celebrity beer tender takes over the bar at the Beaver Island Taproom. Beaver Island selects the celebrity beer tender, who then chooses an organization to support for the evening. All taproom tips for the night plus a $100 Beaver Island Brewing Company gift card go to the selected organization. Hesitant at first about its success, Tending for a Cause has skyrocketed, according to company founders Nick Barth and Matt Studer. Beaver Island continues to receive phone calls about the program and Wednesday nights are booked out for 12 weeks. Tending for a Cause not only raises about $3,000 every month in donations to local organizations, but also brings in new taproom customers every week. Tending for a Cause was the brain child of taproom manager Dan Stuttgen.
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do for free beer for a year, makes our brand mysterious, but yet familiar. People know there is something more than just the beer name and they always want to try to figure out what’s really going on.”
want to own this territory and provide quality beer, consistently,” Studer said. ROLE PLAY Making the partnership work through the company’s accelerated growth hasn’t always been easy, according to Barth and Studer. “We are both very strong-willed people so we don’t often agree on much,” Barth said. “Actually -- funny story -- we were sitting up on a piece of scaffolding while working on getting the taproom ready and Matt’s wife came in to bring lunch. She asked how it was going and Matt said ‘Well, Nick and I haven’t fought yet today, so I’d say pretty good!’” “We are both really passionate and really focused. We’ve learned to get out of each other’s way and let each other be great,” Studer said. When they first started the brewery, they met with local entrepreneur Brian Bauerly. “He told us the only way to make a partnership work was to draw a line in the sand and create the roles and responsibilities that will land on
your shoulders,” Studer said. “We did a horrible job at that. We all wanted to be involved in every aspect of the business, whether it was recipe design, naming a beer or ordering apparel.” Over time, roles were defined. “Barth manages the books and takes care of the business and financial stuff,” Studer said. “Anderson is still the sales manager while Laumb does a lot of recipe development. I manage production and oversee that end of things.” “Matt, he’s the call guy. If something is not running right or not working, he’s on speed dial,” Barth said. “I don’t celebrate it, but it’s pretty well known that I don’t know how to use the equipment.” What started as a home brewing hobby has quickly grown into a two-facility, 23-employee operation. “Growth is our biggest challenge at this time,” Studer said. “We want to grow tactfully and with reason.” “Obviously market saturation is another primary
concern,” Barth said. “How do we differentiate ourselves and how do we stay consistent? These are two challenges we will have for the next 30 years.” CONNECTING COMMUNITY Community is king for Beaver Island Brewing Company. “As Laumb would say, we’re not just here to take up space,” Barth said. “We are here to be a part of something greater and I think that each of our team members takes pride in living and working in this community.” “The community itself is an open-arm community. People come out in droves to help when help is needed,” Studer said. “This place will fill up with people who are gathering for a cause (see Tending for a Cause at left) and we are willing to give away as much beer as it takes to help them hit their goals.” “Even though we are a brewery, we still figure out ways to insert ourselves into the community and work with local organizations like they Boys and Girls Club, St. Cloud
Area School District 742, Anna Marie’s Alliance, and Boy Scouts,” Barth said. When you support community, community supports you. Beaver Island Brewing Company has been recognized throughout the community in many different ways. Most recently, Barth and Studer were named the 2017 Emerging Entrepreneurs by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce. “I think it’s really important to know how humble we are, not only for the support from this community, but to the committee that selected us for the 2017 Emerging Entrepreneurs Award,” Barth said. “We’ve lived and grown up in this community. To be recognized on a larger scale like this is pretty cool,” Studer said. KEEPING IT FUN Despite the long days and crazy hours, Barth and Studer keep
business fun by remembering what they have to offer: beer. “If you think about all of the work that goes into making a beer, at the end of the day, you’ve got to look at what the end result is and that’s a beer in somebody’s hand that they are enjoying. And when they have a beer in their hand, typically there’s a smile on their face,” Studer said. “Beer makes people happy.” Their drive for success is evident, but what really guides these young entrepreneurs on their quest to become Minnesota’s brewery? “For me, it’s never been about the money. The hunt has always been sweeter than the kill,” Barth said. “It’s about the chase. It’s about personal satisfaction, team mentality and personal growth. Plan to work and work the plan. If you believe in it enough, you can muscle through some really hard times.” “I’ve always said if I can play music and make beer the rest of my life, I’d be a happy
PERSONAL PROFILE
Matt Studer
Age: 35 Title/role: Co-Founder and president (Also Brewer/ Maintenance/Janitorial Specialist) Hometown: St. Cloud Education: Tech High School; St. Cloud Technical College Sales and Management
BEST ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED AND WHO GAVE IT TO YOU: Get the right people on the bus. — Rolf Turner, friend.
Brewmaster Chris Laumb
person,” Studer said. “I’ve got half of that goal done.” And when they do manage to find those rare moments of free time, you can find Barth and Studer spending it with their families, canoeing, fishing
Work history: Geyer Rental 1997-2000 Glen's Precision Auto 2000-2001 Tenvoorde Ford Jan. 2001- May 2009 Warnert Commercial Real Estate June 2010-Present Beaver Island Brewing Company Jan. 2015 - Present Family Wife/Best Friend/Chaos Coordinator : Vicki Studer Children: Daughter - Finley (6);
and hunting, all with a Beaver Island beer in their hands. Whitney Ditlevson is the communications and workforce development coordinator at the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce.
Son - Murray (4) Dog - Louie Hobbies: Hunting, fishing, canoeing, anything outdoors, music/guitars, vinyl records, BEER! Advice to a would-be entrepreneur: You get out what you put in. Find something you love to do, give it 120 percent, don't look back, and soon you'll be having the time of your life! Best advice you’ve received and who gave it to you: This is more like the best advice
I’ve realized that I like to keep at the forefront of my every day dealings: “If you indulge yourself in privilege – if you start feeling like you’ve earned it and stop being grateful – then you’ll start making mistakes.” – John Isbell
Favorite Beaver Island Brewing Co. brew: '39 Red IPA and Oktoberfest
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Feature
Workforce WORRIES By Mary MacDonell Belisle
B
usinesses have long been aware that our country’s bounty of Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) would retire, leaving a serious brain drain and millions of jobs unfilled. Boomers in the U.S. workforce numbered roughly 45 million in 2015, according to the Pew Research Center. Today, the exodus to retirement unfolds to the tune of 10,000 a day, according to Barbara Friedberg,
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Businesses need to implement best practices now as they face massive retirements and a shrinking employee pool.
Investopedia. Generation Xers (mid 1960s to early 1980s) and Millennials/Generation Y (early 1980s to early 2000s) will need to pick up the slack, and businesses will need to get serious about recruitment and training if they want to maintain best practices in their industries. Regional considerations “It’s a seller’s market for job seekers,” said Luke Greiner,
regional labor market analyst for the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development (DEED). “And this is probably not going to change anytime soon.” In 2016, unemployment was low at 3.8 percent in the St. Cloud area, roughly equal to the entire state and below the nation’s unadjusted 4.5 percent rate. After a period of 7.5 percent growth from 2006 to 2016, the growth in the labor
force is predicted to be 2.5 percent from 2016 to 2025, said Greiner. Most growth will come from the labor pool age 55 to 74, those baby boomers who are not yet ready to retire. Older workers will likely be participating in higher rates than in the past, Greiner said, which will cause significant changes in organizations. Business Development Manager Leah Pudlick,
In 2016, unemployment was low at 3.8 percent in the St. Cloud MSA, roughly equal to the entire state and below the nation’s unadjusted 4.5 percent rate.
Doherty Top Talent, St. Cloud, has seen companies let 20to 30-year employees retire without sharing their wisdom. It’s important for companies to engage maturing workers about future employment plans, she said, while they’re ‘in the bubble,’ that three-to-fiveyear timeframe prior to age 65. “Employers’ expectations compared to what’s available often don’t agree,” said Pudlick. “Great candidates
are the ones currently not looking.” For example, Doherty conducted some mid-level “head-hunting” and discovered a 35-year-old candidate who’d been with a company for eight years, was paid well, but had no upward mobility. An excellent fit for Doherty’s client, this millennial accepted the proposed position and a $10,000 wage increase.
Activity anticipates shrinkage “Companies can’t view each other as competition. They all need workers,” said Tammy Biery, executive director, Stearns/Benton Employment and Training Council (SBETC). Her organization collaborates and develops partnerships in response to the challenges of a retiring workforce. It encourages education to create clear
pathways for workers to move from structured studies into internship/apprenticeship/ work study programs that lead to higher levels of education, training, and career opportunities. Job prerequisites and qualifications are reevaluated to determine whether the requirement is actually a barrier to employment. Transportation and childcare are issues for immigrants, Biery said. “If we can fix this impediment for one group, we can fix it for many groups.” The SBETC’s programs increase workers’ skills without a heavy financial burden for companies. These include
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On-the-Job Training (OJT), where the business is reimbursed 50 percent of the cost of training a fulltime permanent employee; Transitional Job Opportunity, a short-term structured work experience of 20 to 29 hours per week; and Incumbent Worker Training, which includes financial assistance to train existing employees to avert a layoff or to improve competitiveness. Companies take action The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes more than 2.7 million jobs for nurses in 2014, and an increase of 526,800 by 2022. Replacement nurses for retirees will create 525,000 more vacancies, totaling 1.05 million nursing jobs needing to be filled, according to a Loyola University report. “Human Resources completed a high-level analysis of where our highest risks are related to retirement and backfilling positions,” said Roxanne Wilson, PhD, RN, Magnet Program director of the St. Cloud Hospital. “The shortage is not catching us by surprise, but we recognize a significant amount of work needs to be done.” Most nurses retire at age 65-66. Enticing this group to work longer is challenging, so St. Cloud Hospital focuses on bringing students into healthcare. Workforce development groups have created partnerships with area educators to provide speakers in the schools, health career fairs, and job shadowing. About 900 nursing students from the area’s colleges annually
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participate in clinical experience, Wilson said. Seventy-seven high school and middle school students attended the annual Scrubs Camp June 2016, experiencing hands-on laboratory work, simulations, and visualizations lead by faculty and professionals in the health and human services fields. Activities took place at St. Cloud State University, with field trips to CentraCare Health Plaza and the Good Shepherd Community. CentraCare Health and the St. Cloud Hospital were camp and scholarship sponsors of the event. In addition, efforts to entice immigrant and diverse populations have generated interest in many fields, including certified nursing assistants (CNA) and nursing, respiratory therapy, physicians, and support services such as nutrition and environmental services. CentraCare Health was honored May 10 as one of four award winners of the inaugural Minnesota Job Honor Awards. CentraCare was recognized for its progressive approach to hiring immigrants and for hosting a summer youth employment camp in St. Cloud, a partnership with SBETC. Almost 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will need filling in the next 10 years, but 2 million might go wanting because Millennials won’t be attracted to them, according to a 2015 Deloitte and Manufacturing Institute study. Coldspring is anticipating this shrinking employee
EMPLOYMENT CHALLENGES CentraCare has identified the following challenges, though most are not limited to healthcare: 1. Competition for entry-level positions 2. Hiring nightshift and every-other-weekend positions 3. Timing the replacement of experienced staff early enough to ensure new staff is trained adequately, but not so early as to be too costly 4. The shrinking high school pool 5. Outside competition for local nurses and professionals
pool, said Greg Flint, president and chief operating officer at Coldspring. The manufacturer of quality stone solutions will need to replace 400 retirees within the next 10 years.
Roughly one-third of its workforce has been employed over 25 years. “We have had a longstanding practice of enabling employees to stay as long as
they want and can contribute,” said Flint. For future hires, especially supervisors and managers, Coldspring is putting more focus on soft skills. Developing individuals for specific needs, which might be an operator, manager, or sales person, comes second. “We’re moving to more sophisticated equipment and, subsequently, people who can run and maintain that equipment,” Flint said. “Said another way, we are looking for employees who have skills that resemble the skills earned while participating on high school robotics teams.” These could include aspects of computer
programming, engineering, technical writing, designing, problem-solving, and the ability to work as a unit. Learning to be flexible with older workers and appealing to younger ones are the necessary first steps for businesses that want to solve the problem of a shrinking employment pool. Mary MacDonell Belisle is a copy and content writer, located in St. Cloud. Her business is called mary macdonell belisle – wording for you. She’s been in business since 2007.
To review the sources used in this story, visit BusinessCentral Magazine.com
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Special Focus
The Workforce Myth Despite what many of us have been told, most employment opportunities in Central Minnesota don’t require post-secondary education. By Luke Greiner
C
entral Minnesota, like many other regions of the state and nation, is facing a demographic shift that will have wide ranging implications in the labor market. Baby Boomers are aging out of the workplace which, coupled with an expanding and demanding economy, means that workers are in short supply for many employers. Aligning educational offerings can help businesses fill highly demanded openings, and ensure graduates are met with ample opportunities for success.
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Popular narratives often suggest that our economy will need a large increase in college-educated workers to meet the employment opportunities of today and tomorrow. However, analyzing the current and projected economy tells a different story. Thanks to a recent project by the Department of Employment and Economic Developement to update and modify the list of typical education requirements for occupations in Minnesota, we now have a more accurate resource to match education
levels with occupations. Using the new classifications to analyze current and future employment projections, the circle graph highlights two key points:
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR JOBS IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA
1 Over two-thirds of jobs in Central Minnesota typically do not require higher education for entry. 2 Future jobs in Central Minnesota will require roughly the same amount of educational attainment as they do now. What’s clear about the economy, both now and in the near future, is that most employment opportunities can at least be started without college or other types of higher education. What isn’t clear is the extent of employer-provided training needed, and how many of these skills can be fostered “in-house” for career advancement. With so much talk about the “skills gap,” but relatively few jobs requiring college (two- or four-year) degrees, it appears that simply increasing college enrollment would be an incomplete and ineffective response. After all, 70 percent of Minnesota high school seniors already enroll in college in the fall after graduating. A better approach might be to ensure students are learning what programs have jobs waiting for them to fill, while also increasing college completion rates. Identifying specific skills, rather than award levels, also has the
2024 2014
High School Diploma or Less Vocational Training Associate's Degree Bachelor's Degree Graduate Degree No Clear Education Assignment Source: DEED, Employment Projections and Educational Requirements
2.6%
CENTRAL MINNESOTA EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS Job Categories by Educational Requirements in Minnesota
2014 Estimated Employment
2024 Projected Employment
Numeric Change
Percent Growth
Total, All Occupations
302,055
325,393
+23,338
+8%
High School Diploma or Less
219,805
236,158
+16,353
+7%
Vocational Training
16,418 18,044 +1,626 +10%
Associate's Degree
11,034 12,335 +1,301 +12%
Bachelor's Degree
39,788 42,422 +2,634 +7%
Graduate Degree
7,978
9,021
+1,043
+13%
No Clear Education Assignment
7,032
7,413
+381
+5%
Central Minnesota is critical to understanding how to address a labor force that will be growing much slower in the future. If they decide to take the postsecondary path, students would benefit from learning “What to Know Before They Owe.” Luke Greiner is a regional labor market analyst at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). He can be
Source: DEED, Employment Projections and Educational Requirements
potential to direct funding and students where they’re needed most. The low ratio of jobs requiring college doesn’t mean
that college is unnecessary, or even less important in the future. In fact, jobs requiring postsecondary training such as graduate degrees or associate
reached at 320-308-5378, Luke.
degrees are expected to grow the fastest in the next decade (see table). Knowing the true skill and educational needs of
Greiner@state.mn.us.
To access some of the publications referenced here, visit BusinessCentral Magazine.com
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Special Focus
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BY THE NUMBERS
ARE CLASSROOMS A THING OF THE PAST? A recent international study by Polycom suggests classrooms may not be the focus of future education. Polycom’s Education Innovation survey drew responses for 1,800 education professionals worldwide. The majority saw the education sector moving towards an environment that was easily accessible through technology and appropriate resources, in order to facilitate a more personalized learning experience. Here’s some of what they had to say:
64% believe students
34% believe technology
engage with content primarily in the classroom __________
use should focus on improving the quality of teacher-learning __________
25% believe students will continue to engage with content primarily in the classroom in 10 years __________
53% believe real-time video collaboration and mobile devices will be the number one way students will engage with content in 10 years __________
17% believe technology should be used to personalize the studentlearning experience __________
13% believe the focus should be on taking advantage of new technology Source: The 2025 Polycom Education Innovation Survey Report
Is STEM driving STEAM?
Calls for more skilled workers in science, technology, engineering, and math-related fields have driven an increased focus in STEM areas across K-12 and higher ed for the last several years. Despite the additional critical thinking components accounted for with STEM, concerns are growing that the expanded focus on STEM detracts from a well-rounded education including the arts. It's an issue that some schools and districts have already addressed by expanding the acronym to "STEAM" and emphasizing the connections between the arts and science and math, as well as many companies' desires to hire workers who can think creatively in addition to being technically skilled. Source: Education Dive
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Business Spotlight
The Specialist
At A Glance
Mike Paquette didn’t start out to be a regional specialist on employee benefits, but he is. By Gail Ivers
PERSONAL PROFILE Mike Paquette, 71 Hometown: Minneapolis Education: Graduated from St. John’s Prep, St. John’s University, University of Minnesota Law School Publications: Employer’s Guide to Group Insurance Administration; Indexed Summary of Group Insurance Law; and Group insurance Administrator’s Book of Forms Family: Wife Bonnie; one daughter and three grandchildren Hobbies: Watching movies and sports, fan of St. John’s University sporting events
Business Central: Why did you decide to go out on your own? Mike Paquette: I didn’t always plan to have my own business. I guess I figured I’d work for a law firm. But after a few years of working for someone else, working for myself seemed more attractive. They make a decision and you think “I wouldn’t do it that way.” So why not give it a try for yourself. I figure the best boss you’ll ever have is yourself. BC: How did you get started writing these books? Paquette: I had a friend who
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asked if I could put together a compilation of benefit laws for him and he said he’d pay me to do it. I thought if he’d pay me, others might, too. BC: Have you had any challenges in your business? Paquette: Not really anything big. For the last seven years I’ve been dealing every day with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It’s 20,000 to 25,000 pages of regulations and guidelines and postponements. It takes lots of time and research just to keep up. If they ever repeal the ACA, I’ll throw out half of
my office because it’s so full of paperwork related to the ACA. But then I’ll probably fill it back up again with whatever they come up with to replace it. In one of my seminars, I spend the last hour just talking about what’s been postponed on the ACA. BC: What do you like best about your job? Paquette: You’re probably not going to believe this, but what I really like best is the research. If someone would pay me just to do research, I’d be in heaven. Teaching classes
American Legal Publications PO Box 429, Waite Park, MN 56387-0459 320-259-0823 Fax: (320) 259-4869 Business Description: Specializes in the federal and state regulation of group benefit plans; provides employee benefit law consulting, publications, and continuing education seminars on COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA, Minnesota Continuation Laws, and more. Owner: Mike Paquette Opened: 1989 Number of Employees: 1 Chamber member since 1997
Timeline 1968 Mike Paquette graduates from St. John’s University 1971 Paquette graduates from the University of Minnesota Law School and joins a law firm in Minneapolis 1973 Paquette leaves the law firm and joins a company that serves as a third party administrator for corporate group health plans. His work at this company piques his interest in benefit management 1989 Paquette starts American Legal Publications
is good because if I have to teach a class I have to know all the information. I can’t do book revisions or provide legal advice without the research. So I guess I’ve created the opportunity to do the research, which I like, but it would be great if I could find someone to pay me just to do that.
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